There were towers of dark, polished stone, seemingly made from obsidian, reaching for the sky, their tips glinting with embedded mana crystals that hummed with a low, constant energy. The glass of newer buildings, reflecting the early morning sun in blinding flashes.
Manicured lawns.
Green.
Ornate statues of primordial witches carved with intricate detail, often depicting them mid-spell, their faces a mixture of serene wisdom and fierce determination.
There were young witches from across the globe, all of them dragged onto this institution just to be used.
Some hurried, books clutched to their chests, eyes already glazed over with the intensity of arcane studies.
"This place feels like a normal college campus," Hoshimi spoke with an irritation in his voice. "It's almost unnerving for what this place really is."
Strange.
Others strolled in small, chattering groups, their laughter echoing a strange, almost defiant normalcy in a place designed to hone them into weapons.
Their uniforms bore the emblem of Hex Academy. A stylized, interlocking circle and triangle, meant to have some kind of hidden meaning. But what it truly was, was a badge of shame meant to label them as numbered tools.
Kira was walking behind Hoshimi, treating him as if he were a shield meant to protect her from the overwhelming crowd of people.
"I don't like this." She muttered, holding down onto the hem of his shirt.
With her other hand, she clutched the strap of her bag so tightly her knuckles had turned white. "There's so many witches here, and the mana..the cluttering mana feels so nauseating."
[There's so many people, I want it.. Their eyes on me, I want them to praise me, just imagine that many people… I'll start over, brand new]
Hoshimi walked with his usual detached grace, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his dark jeans. His posture slouched from the laziness to stand up straight.
[My eyes, they feel heavy for some reason, I slept a full 8 hours last night didn't I? But something is definitely weighing down on my back]
His eyes stared at Kira, she was nervous being around this many people, she pulled harder on Hoshimi's sleeve. "I can't stand it either, but it has always been like this, most of the witch population gets dragged here after all," Hoshimi replied, his voice a low, even hum.
"But most of them are immature witches, barely used to their own abilities, just like you. Just like me." He lied through his teeth.
[I'm still wondering, if she really knew the patriarch was the butler then, why didn't she just tell me? What's her reason for testing me like this? Could she have known about the patriarch's death?]
"Do you think they're judging us?" Kira asked, her voice a small thread of worry. "For… everything?" The incident at the Mirlo estate, the public chaos, everything, it had all been broadcast, dissected, and reinterpreted by a hungry public.
"They don't care," Hoshimi said, a faint, almost imperceptible curl of his lip. "Strange things happen every day, why would they judge you, they probably don't even remember what you did, things that you stress over might be just a flash in another person's eyes." He glanced at her, a rare, direct look. "Even if they remembered, your actions define you, Kira, not their opinions."
They continued their walk, making their way towards the academic halls. Kira felt a slight easing of the tension in her chest. Hoshimi's presence, for all his emotional detachment, was like a wall, protecting her from the world outside, as well as keeping her in.
Hoshimi sighed, grabbing onto his chest, his heart pumped hard and fast for some reason that he couldn't pinpoint, a strange feeling that had been sitting down on the bottom of his stomach since the morning of Elias' birthday.
His gaze wandered across a group of students.
[Reina told me that some students here are going to die soon, I wonder if that has anything to do with the mystery surrounding Audrey]
"Hoshimi," Kira murmured again, tapping onto his shoulder. She pointed a trembling finger towards a cluster of students gathered near a large oak tree. "Isn't that... Neila, Dominic and Edward?"
His gaze followed hers. There was a small group of the top-ranked students standing conversing, their new uniforms pristine, their postures radiating a casual confidence.
Neila, with her twin tails, was gesturing something with her hands, a faint, almost predatory smirk playing on her lips, but her blue eyes seemed almost lonely. Dominic leaned against the tree, his arms crossed, an air of bored amusement clinging to him like a second skin. Edward, ever watchful, stood rigidly beside him like they were attached at the hip, his gaze darting, observing, always observing.
They saw Hoshimi and Kira approaching.
Conversations faltered.
Heads turned.
Green.
A ripple of recognition, quickly followed by a silent, collective stare. It wasn't hostile, not overtly.
Sunlight.
Hoshimi let out a hum.
His ears rang.
Suddenly, a voice, sharp and clear, cut through the ambient hum.
"Bitch."
Familiar.
It was aimed at Hoshimi, a word that cut through the air.
Her golden hair.
Another blonde.
A stark beacon in the sunlight, shimmering as she moved.
Sophia Miller.
"What do you want, Sophia?"
She wore the standard Hex Academy uniform, but on her, it looked majestic, her long legs, small waist and large hips accentuated by the uniform, it made her look like a model.
"I have something to tell you. Not that I want to, but I was forced."
She stood at the entrance of one of the gleaming glass buildings, a vision of effortless power. Her coffee-brown hair, impeccably styled, cascaded around her shoulders. Her golden eyes narrowed.
[Reina]
Sophia's golden insignia attached to her shoulder, signifying her status as a top-tier student and a scion of one of the most powerful witch families, glinted proudly on her chest. Two other student council members, equally imposing in their tailored uniforms, flanked her.
"I-is that Sophia Miller?" Kira flinched, shrinking further behind Hoshimi. "I can't believe that's her in the flesh.
"Is she really all that?"
"There's no one that doesn't know of her name."
[I didn't really think she was that famous, I really should keep up with the news]
"It's not like I wanted to see you again," Sophia's voice carried across the distance, melodious yet sharp, cutting through the ambient noise like a silver blade.
"Tsundere." He stared down at her, a grin spreading across his face.
"Y-you're calling me a tsundere?" Her eyes, a striking coffee brown, flickered between them, her eyes squinting as she stared at him.
"Yea, it's rather funny how you're pretending to be professional, when I have videos of you acting the way you act at home."
Sophia's face twisted like he'd just insulted her very bloodline.
"STUPID BITCH! I AM NOT A TSUN-TSUN-" she jabbed a finger at him, "Whatever the hell that is!"
"Really? You're getting mad over a single joke, is this how the strongest is supposed to act?"
"I'm going to rip your face off! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU."
"But you won't."
Sophia looked away, arms crossed, her teeth clicking.
"Shut up… Hoshimi."
Kira flinched, instinctively shrinking back behind Hoshimi. Her mind immediately registered the judgment in Sophia's tone. The public's eyes, the judging eyes, were now personified. "She's... she's so loud."
"Sophia," he acknowledged, a smile still on his face as he glanced around, at the crowd of people staring wide eyed at the commotion Sophia caused. "You sure you want all of these people to see you like this?"
He chuckled, putting a single hand on her head and ruffling his fingers through her hair.
"I have a message for you," Sophia bit her lip, preventing herself from lashing out. Her gaze lingered on Hoshimi, a subtle challenge in her eyes. "Student council room. Now."
"Is there a reason?" Hoshimi asked, a flicker of annoyance finally breaking through his composure.
Sophia's lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk. "Auntie Reina didn't specify anything. Just that it was 'urgent' and 'involved a certain insubordinate witch who constantly forgets his manners'." Her eyes glinted, a silent jab at Hoshimi. She then glanced at Kira, a dismissive flick of her gaze. "And bring your little friend. She needs to hear about this as well."
Kira's shoulders slumped further.
"Come on," Hoshimi said, his voice clipped, already turning towards the main building.
Kira followed behind him, murmuring. "You're rather close to her, or at least it seemed that way."
"We grew up together, she's my sister."
"Really? That's surprising." She twiddled her thumbs together. "Can you ask her for an autograph?"
Sophia watched him go, she shook her head, rubbing her temple. "He never goddamn changes, the only time when he doesn't want to be an edgy bum is when he's messing with me" she murmured to her companions, a hint of something unreadable in her tone. Then, with a graceful turn, she led her own group towards the same destination.